Pointed Gourd (Trichosanthes dioica) – Properties, Benefits & Dosage

Patola, Pointed Gourd, Trichosanthes dioica

Description of Plant

Patola is known as Trichosanthes Dioica. Generally, it is famous with the name of pointed gourd. This is one of the most nutritious cucurbit vegetables that have a great, big reputation in the market of India, during rainy and summer seasons. The plant is of perennial, nectarous. Plant grows like a vine. Vines are of thick size, pencil like structure which contains ovate, oblong, cordate, unlobed, rigid, dark green color leaves. Their roots are of tube like structure, have tuberous property with long tap root system to manage the plant processes. Flowers are of white color with a tubular appearance. Flowers of this plant are dioecious type. The male flowers are not strobile. Stigma of the plant remains there for minimum around 14 hours and many of the flowers up to 40 to 70 % set fruits. Fruits generally are of size 5 to 9 cm and of spherical orange red wine color after ripe.

But the fruits of Patola can be categorized in to four types:-

First kind have Long, dark green with white stripes and 10–13 cm long.
Another type has thick, dark green with very pale green stripes and it is 10–16 cm long.
Other ones have Roundish, dark green with white stripe with 5 to 8 cm height.
Last one has Tapering, green and striped, 5–8 cm long.

General Description

Patola or Trichosanthes dioica is a great medicinal plant explained in Ayurvedic literature and in modern science. Patola is mentioned in the several Ayurvedic texts in the treatment of severe diseases, in Ayurveda except Patola it is also known as lulka, tikta, panduka, rajiphala, amritphala, pratika, kushthaha, meki, parvara, kulaka, nagaphala, Karkashacchada and Tiktottama.

Trichosanthes dioica is generally known as Sespadula in English and Parwal in Hindi. It is widely grown in all over the India and more. It is a kind of perennial crop that is highly acceptable due to its availability. This plant is available for eight months in a year, from February to September.

Patola is a Tagalog term for luffa or pointed gourd. This plant relates to that family of vegetables which present normally in the Philippines.

This plant contains various important phytochemical constituents that help plant Patola to combat several diseases. Roots of the plant contain hentriacontane, trichosanthin, saponin, fixed oil, starch Colocynthin, essential oil containing terpens, reducing sugar and traceof tannin. Stems of the Patola contain fatty acids like linoleic, oleic and oleo stearic or trichosanic acid and Cucurbita-5, 24-dienol which also found in mature plant. The leaves of the plant can be eaten as vegetables and contain various biochemical components in some appropriate ratio like 80.5 moisture; 5.4 protein; other carbohydrates 5.8; and mineral matter 3.0% calcium 531; 1.1 fat; 4.2 fiber; and phosphorous 73 mg / 100 g . Fruits also contain active components like riboflavin, vitamin-C, 5- hydroxytryptamine and nicotinic acid and thiamin.

Classification

Kingdom – Planate
Subkingdom – Tracheobionta
Superdivision – Spermatophyta
Division – Magnoliophyta
Class – Magnoliopsida
Subclass – Dilleniidae
Order – Violales
Family – Cucurbitaceae
Genus – Trichosanthes
Species – T. dioica

Habitat

Pointed gourd or Trichosanthes dioica or Patola is a tropical vegetable crop. The crop is known to Indo- Malayan origin and distribution extensively in eastern parts of India and up to less extent in the other parts of Asia. It is known with different names in different areas, like by parwal, palwal, or parmal names in different parts of India and Bangladesh. Patola is one of the essential vegetables of this region.

Names of the Plant

Sanskrit name – Patola, Lulka, Tikta, Panduka, Rajiphala, Amritphala, Pratika, Kushthaha, Meki, Parvara, Kulaka, Nagaphala, Karkashacchada, Tiktottama
English name – Pointed Gourd, Wild Snake Guard
Gujarati name – Patola, Patal
Punjabi name – Parwal, Palwal
Hindi name – Parval
Telugu name – Kommu Potla / Chedu Potla
Bengali name – Patol
Marathi Name – Paraval
Tamil name – Kambupudalai
Kannada name – Kaadu Padaval, Kadu padavala kayi
Malayalam name – Patolam
Oriya – Patal
Urdu – Prora
Bangladesh – Potol
Pakisthan – Palwal, Parol, Petal
Unani name – Parwal

Ayurvedic Properties

Hindi / Sanskrit		English
Rasa	Tikta	Taste	Bitter
Guna	Laghu, Ruksha	Physical Property	Light, Dry
Virya	Ushna	Potency	Hot
Vipaka	Katu	Metabolic Property (After Digestion)	Pungent

Effects on Doshas

It balances kapha and pitta. Approximately all the Acharyas have mentioned the leaf of Patola to manage Pitta Samaka, Nala to manage Kapha Samaka and fruit as Tridosha Shamaka. Roots of Patola are virechanakaraka.

Charak Samhita	Vagbhata	Sushrut Samhita
Truptighna – Herbs that relieve the feeling of food satiation. Trishna Nigrahana – Herbs that relieve excessive thirst.	Patoladi Aragvadhadi	Patoladi Aragvadhadi

Ancient Verse about Patola

The Bhavprakash nighantu edition of 1998: verse 69-70, page no-696

It states that the names of the plants are Patol, Kulaka, tikta Panduka, Karkashacchada, Rajiphala, Panduphala, Rajeya, Amritphal, Beezgarbh, Prateek, kushthaha and kasbhanjan.

This is good for heart, aphrodisiac, light, good for digestive fire, having hot potency. It manages cough, blood impurities, fever and worms.

References:-

The Bhavprakash nighantu with elaborated Hindi commentary by Padmashri prof. K.C. Chunekar edited by Dr. G.S. Pandey: edition of 1998: verse 69 – 70, page no – 696.

Practical Uses of Patola

Nematocidal and Antihelmintic effects

The extracts of roots dichloromethane (DCTD), methanol (METD) and aqueous (AQTD) contain in vitro show paralytic & lethal effect which against the worms.

Anti-hyperglycemic & antihyperlipidemic activity

Charak Samhita mentions the use of Patola in the treatment of Pittaj Prameh. So the use of T. diocia in diabetes management & could be developed as an effective oral agent for treating diabetes mellitus & complications.

Chemo Preventive Activity

Patola shows chemo properties that are present in its root extracts. It reduces the damage done by the carcinogens.

Laxative activity

The laxative activity is present in roots and it gives great relieve from constipation.

Anti-inflammatory activity

The Protective role of triterpenoid in the root extracts reduces the inflammation.

Cholesterol lowering activity

The aqueous extract of fruits of this plant is known to control the Cholesterol.

Effect on Ascites

The triterpenoid enriched root extract reduces ascetic fluid.

Neuropharmacological functions

Properties of Patola roots show effect to relax skeletal muscle and show the sedative property also.
Patola Patra is used in jaundice, as it is purgative.
Patola Patra is beneficial in cough and strengthens the chest.
Patola Patra is very effective in skin diseases.
Patola Patra improves the taste of mouth, appetite and also digestion.